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Trial Number 2

Trial Purpose:

To test the efficacy of the best performing reformulation (5% enzyme mix) in comparison to the efficacy of the original formulation.

Date Run:

04/07/2025

Experiment Procedure:

Testing:

Prep: 5x5 inch white cotton and blue polyester fabric swatches were used for testing.  Each fabric swatch was measured for reflectance, redness/greenness, and yellowness/blueness with a colorimeter 5 times in 3 separate areas (0.5x0.5) where the fabric would eventually be stained.  The three areas were treated as individual coupons.  The 5 measurements for each area were averaged together and used as the representative measurements of the specified area/coupon.  Each area was stained with the correct soil type and left to air dry for 24 hours.  Colorimeter measurements of each stain was ten recorded. 

Washing procedure:  The fabric swatches were washed in a washing machine with 45 mL of Liquid Laundry Detergent and 6.5 gallons of water on a normal washing cycle set for a medium load.  The water used has a water hardness level of 63 PPM mg/L.  The washing cycle consisted of a wash step (~12 mins), a rinse step (~14 mins), and a spin step (~5 mins).  Half of the fabric swatches were washed unheated with a temperature range of 60F-85F, while the other half was washed heated with a temperature range of 105F-125F.  The fabric swatches were dried in the drying machine on a heated gentle/tumble setting for 30 mins.  After drying, the colorimeter was used to re measure the 3 staining areas on each fabric swatch.

Analysis:

Detergency:  Unadjusted measure of the percentage the cleaned fabric was returned to its original state (uses only L values/measures of lightness)

% Detergency= 100X((Lclean-Ldirty)/(Linitial-Ldirty))

Where:

L=reflectance (0 black - 100 White)

Trial Results:

Temp Cleaner Stain Fabric L initial L dirty L clean % DET AVG % DET
Unheated (60-85F) Original  Dust + Sebum Cotton 88.48 66.86 82.49 88.71 85.13
Polyester 59.49 50.98 57.92 81.55
Clay Cotton  84.53 77.32 82.97 78 86.89
Polyester 58.77 78.39 59.6 95.77
Grass Cotton 84.17 66.05 81.81 86.98 92.65
Polyester 59.84 49.72 59.67 98.32
Cocoa Cotton 8.26 66.04 82.4 89.79 89.79
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 84.34 42.15 63.06 49.56 49.56
Reformulation: 5% enzyme mix Dust + Sebum Cotton 84.06 73.92 83.1 90.53 87.27
Polyester 58.85 52.54 57.84 84
Clay Cotton  84.38 77.64 83.17 82 90.92
Polyester 59.36 77.81 59.39 99.84
Grass Cotton 84.24 71.26 82 82.74 91.37
Polyester 59.46 48.11 59.46 100
Cocoa Cotton 84.49 51.99 82.13 92.74 92.74
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 84.67 41.41 79.13 87.19 87.19
Heated (105-125F) Original  Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.22 53.55 82.55 91.6 88.32
Polyester 58.58 53.7 57.85 85.04
Clay Cotton  89.24 78.24 87.8 88 91.88
Polyester 58.56 77.2 59.35 95.76
Grass Cotton 86.05 78.16 84.85 84.79 90.60
Polyester 59.56 51.26 59.24 96.4
Cocoa Cotton 88.91 45.2 84.24 89.32 89.32
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 89 40.76 72.37 65.53 65.53
Reformulation: 5% enzyme mix Dust + Sebum Cotton 86.43 52.21 83.94 92.72 85.64
Polyester 58.43 55.36 58.07 88.27
Clay Cotton  89.05 81.3 88.37 83 97.34
Polyester 58.63 77.42 59.25 96.7
Grass Cotton 86.36 78.95 86.21 97.98 93.37
Polyester 59.56 55.28 59.42 96.73
Cocoa Cotton 88.84 55.22 85.5 90 90
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 88.94 41.61 81.69 84.68 84.68

Success Rating:

Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.

Conclusion:

The reformulation performs equal to or better than the original formulation based on average percent detergencies.  Most notably, The reformulation improved the performance on the blood, milk, and ink stain significantly at both temperatures. 

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